What is Required
by FeatherQuill
Summary: Prophetic dreams, a scary girl that won't leave Hermione alone.... A Herm/Draco fic. My fave!! :) Lots of adventure, lots of excitement, lots of Draco in leather pants... *smiles mischievously* Third chapter uploaded!
1. The Ask

DISCLAIMER: Do I have to? Like anyone is going to sue me? I own nothing of value! Fine.  
I own nothing, J.K. Rowling owns all the characters. Damn fine writer, isn't she?  
  
QUICK NOTE: they are in sixth year at Hogwarts.  
  
******  
  
Hermione looked at the clock. She was usually a bright and attentive student, but the last few days she had been feeling tired, more slower than usual. All she wanted to do now was go straight up to her bed and sleep for hours. It was four thirty. She had no homework, nothing to do.   
  
"...and that's all! Enjoy the rest of your day." Professer McGonagall smiled. She was in a happy mood, as she before in her office had discovered an old book of spells she hadn't seen since she was a child. Everyone in the class was glad of that, as it meant an easy lesson!  
  
Hermione gathered up her books slowly, feeling an odd pain in her stomach. She walked up to the Gryfinndor tower, but was interrupted by Draco.  
  
"Mione, are you ok? Let me carry those books for you." His grey eyes showed concern for his fragile girlfriend. Everyone in the school had been surprised when they had started dating. No one knew the reason for it, except Hermione and Draco.   
  
About two months ago, Draco had saved Hermione's life. He had said at the time that he didn't know why he saved the filthy little Mudblood. Hermione had tried to repay the favour by tutoring Draco in some of his worse subjects, and their relationship had grown over the time.  
  
"I'm...ok, I think," mumbled Hermione. Her steps became slower. Draco instantly dropped the books he was carrying and held on to her. "Hermione, you're not ok. Let me take you to the hospital wing, please Mione."  
  
"But I am ok, I am...." and with that, she stumbled, and collasped on the floor.  
  
"Oh no," Draco muttered under his breath, as he lifted Hermione from the ground.  
  
******  
  
Hermione was in her bedroom. 'Why am I here?' she wondered.  
  
"Hello Hermione." The voice was cruel and hard, and as Hermione turned around, it belonged to a beautiful girl, wearing an ice-cold blue dress.  
  
"Who are you?" Hermione said, desperately trying to find any means of protection against this stranger.  
  
"Who am I, Hermi? I'll tell you who I am."  
  
Hermione gulped. She didn't know who this strange person was, and she didn't know what she was doing here.  
  
"I am Beax. And why am I here?" she smiled cruelly. "That will have to wait for another time, Hermi." Her voiced dripped sarcasm, and she ran one ice-tipped fingernail down Hermione's cheek. And with that, she vanished.   
  
******  
  
Hermione opened one eye slowly. Draco was sitting in a chair next to her, his head in his hands. She moved her hand to on top of his knee, and he instantly looked up.  
  
"Oh, Hermione," he said, his voice breaking. "Are you ok? Do you need anything? I've been so worried about you..." Draco looked at the beautiful, fragile girl lying on the hospital wing bed. Her hair had smoothed out and became a deep, rich milk chocolate colour, and he loved to stroke it whenever he could. However, bones jutted out from her arm. She had become so skinny over the past few days, hardly eating anything, prefering to be with Draco, or even just sleep. He was so worried about her, yet he didn't even know what was wrong.  
  
"How long have I been in here, Draco?" she whispered, her eyes shut. She didn't have any energy.  
  
"Since yesterday morning. Harry has come, so has Ron, and they both left you flowers. See?" Draco tried to turn her attention towards the beautiful flora decorating the windowsill.  
  
"Did you visit me a lot?" she said very quietly. She made an effort to turn her head towards him, and Draco started to stroke her hair.   
  
"I have been here since when you collasped. I got permission to stay out of classes for a day or so. I haven't left you, I promise Mione."  
  
"Ok... Draco?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I had a dream, wh-when I was asleep," she mumbled. "There was a girl in it, a horrible girl. She ran a finger down my cheek, just like this," and with that ran a finger down Draco's cheek. "And she vanished, and she... she knew my name, and I think I knew her, but I don't know where from."  
  
Draco swallowed. "Well, it was only a dream. You're awake now, and I'm here and that's all that matters," he said, trying to make light of the situation. He didn't want Hermione to worry about that now, just when she was at her weakest self.  
  
"I love you Draco."  
  
"I love you too, Mione. I love you too."  
  
Satistfied with the answer, Hermione fell back asleep. Draco kissed her forehead and stood up, stretching.  
  
Albus Dumbledore walked through the door. "Ah, Draco, how is Hermione?"  
  
"I don't know," he muttered, falling back into his chair. "She woke up a few minutes ago, and we talked, but she's asleep now. What's wrong with her? You have to tell me if it's serious, please tell me."  
  
"I'm afraid we can't do that at the moment, Draco." He shook his head, the twinkle gone from his eyes.  
  
Draco stood up. "Damnit! I have as much right to know as anyone does!!" he exploded. "I love Hermione, and you can't sit around here all day and not tell me what the hell is going on!" He instantly regretted saying what he did, as Hermione awoke.  
  
"Draco... why are you yelling?" she said softly, struggling to sit up.  
  
Draco sat back down. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said, kissing her cheek.  
  
Dumbledore magicked up a chair next to Draco's, and he sat in it. "I will tell both of you what is wrong, but you mustn't tell anyone else."  
  
"What about Harry and Ron?" Hermione blinked, worried.  
  
Dumbledore considered this. "I will tell them later," he said nodding.  
  
He took a deep breath. Draco's hand rested on Hermione's and her hand gripped his in a weak grasp.   
  
"Hermione, you have what is know as the Ferinale disease. It causes the bearer to become weak, and it gradually drains all their strength."  
  
"Is-is it fatal?" Hermione uttered, scared.  
  
Draco held her, pulling her closer to him.  
  
"We don't know Hermione. We don't know."  
  
  
******  
  
  
Albus Dumbledore stroked his beard. He had left the hospital wing a few minutes before, and was now in his office with Draco.  
  
"Look, I know you're doing all you can, but can't you help her in some way?" Draco asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.  
  
"There is something we can do, Draco. A potion. However it takes time to ferment, and I fear it may be too late for Hermione before she gets it."  
  
"I don't care what you have to do, just get Mione better, please." Draco's silvery-blond hair shook as he tried to compose himself.  
  
"I will ask Professer Snape to start the potion today, Draco. However we need something from you."  
  
"What do you need? Blood? Hair? Toast? I don't care, you can have it!"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm afraid it is more complicated than that, Draco."  
  
Draco stood up and began to stroke Fawkes, agitated. His grey eyes seems darker than usual. "I don't care," he said resignedly.  
  
"We need you to do this...."  
  
  
******  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Whadda ya think? Please review, I will only continue the story if I get at least 10 reviews, thanku very much...  
Please do not review if you are just going to crititize, it helps no one. If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all.  
  
So... will Hermione get better? Will Draco do what he needs to? Will we see that sexy blond babe (Draco) in leather pants? All in Chapter 2.....  
  
  



	2. The Letter

DISCLAIMER: oh please, even if someone does sue me, it would be a complete waste of time, as I own nothing of value. But, yeah the characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and she's a damn fine writer, don't you agree?  
  
Thanks to all you guys who reviewed, I was so happy to see I had gotten over ten!! And yes, to popular demand, we WILL see the sexy blond babe (Draco) in leather pants soon. J  
  
By the way, I'm new at fanfiction.net, so can someone tell me in his or her reviews: does OOC mean Out Of Character and what's a Mary-Sue? Thanks guys. J  
  
***  
  
"We need you to do this, Draco. In order to save Hermione's life, we must brew a potion so complex and hard, that only the most advanced potion brewers should even attempt it. However, we need your blood to make the potion complete. But, this isn't the usual blood potion. If you do this, then you will be drained of all your strength and power for at least a day, if not several." Albus Dumbledore looked at him from the tops of his half-moon spectacles. Draco looked a bit shaken by this, but a grin came over his face. "Does that mean I get Hermione to look after me while I regain my strength?" he asked.  
  
The twinkle reappeared in Dumbledore's eyes, and he said to Draco, "Yes, if that is what she wants to do."  
  
Draco held out his left arm, smiling. He was just glad that Hermione was going to be all right.  
  
***  
  
"Hello, Hermi." The voice broke into Hermione's mind once more. She was back in her room, and the beautiful girl with the ice-cold voice was standing in front of her.  
  
"What are you doing here? You know what, I don't care. Just go AWAY." Hermione bit her lip as this last remark came out. 'It's only a dream,' she reassured herself.  
  
Beax laughed. "Are you sure, Hermi? Are you absolutely sure that it's only a dream?" Her voice was smooth, like silk, however it held something in there. Whether it was power, fear or anger, Hermione didn't know. All she knew is that she wanted to get out of there. "You can't escape me Hermione. I will be with you wherever you go, whatever you do." She walked closer to her, and took her right arm. She ran a fingernail down it, and vanished. (FeatherQuill's note: *shakes head* what is it with Beax and her fingernails?)  
  
***  
  
Hermione gasped, and her eyes flew open. She struggled to sit up, and she was covered in sweat. It was the middle of the night, but there was moonlight for her to see. She raised her right arm, and felt her eyes widen. Because on that arm, was a long red welt, right where that girl had scratched it. She lay back down, her breathing slow and laboured. She didn't understand, she had never known anything like this to happen to HER. It was always Harry got the bad dreams, never her. "Never me," she repeated into the still night air.  
  
She lay back down onto her pillows, but it was a long time before Hermione Granger fell asleep.  
  
***  
  
Severus Snape watched the potion bubble and burn in front of him. He hadn't yet added the boy's blood, so the potion was a flimsy blue, instead of the deep red it soon would be. The potion was a complex and complicated process, and he was a little surprised that Dumbledore had asked him to do it so quickly.  
  
He was more surprised than anyone when the two had decided to start dating. He would have never had thought it, yet when the two had shown up together at Halloween dinner, sat together, danced and ate together…well, it was pretty obvious. They had caused quite a stir, but they sat through it smiling, lost in each other's eyes. Typical, even the smart-mouthed Muggleborn has someone, he thought bitterly.   
  
"Ah, Severus, there you are," came the voice of Albus Dumbledore. He was carrying a small vial of Draco Malfoy's blood.  
  
"Thankyou, Albus." He stretched out his hand for the blood, and added it to the pot. Almost immediately the potion hissed, and a cloud of smoke came up. Coughing and waving his hand to get rid of it, Snape poured some into a flask, which he then gave to Dumbledore.   
  
"Goodbye Severus, thankyou for making the potion for Miss Granger." With that he left the room, and continued towards the hospital wing. On two different beds lay Hermione and Draco, Hermione sleeping with deep circles under her eyes, and Draco lying very still, his eyes closed.  
  
He went to Hermione's side, and gently woke her up.  
  
"Yes, Professor?" she said tiredly.  
  
"Here is the potion, Miss Granger. Drink and you will feel better." He handed her the potion, and watched while she coughed and spluttered over the taste. He noticed a change; practically the minute she finished it. Her cheeks were filled with more colour than they had been in days.   
  
She smiled, sitting up, with only a hint of any struggle this time. "Where's Draco?" she asked.  
  
He swept his hand towards the other hospital bed, were Draco was lying very still. Hermione's face went white. "Th-there's nothing wrong with him, is there?" she stammered.  
  
"No, Miss Granger. He will be like that for a few days, as his strength went into the potion that you just drank." Hermione's hand went to her throat. "You mean, I just drank all of Draco's strength?" she asked. "No, not all. Most of it, yes, but he will regain it quickly."   
  
She breathed a sigh of relief. Dumbledore, remembering that he had an open box of sherbet lemons on his desk, and a very hungry phoenix, made his excuses and left the two together.  
  
Hermione slowly walked over to Draco's bed, and sat on it. He opened his eyes, just slightly, so there was a crack of light coming through. "Hi," she said softly to him.   
  
"You know, since I saved your practically, doesn't that mean you owe me something?" He said quietly, a little grin on his face.  
  
Hermione bent over and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll make it up to you."  
  
She regretted saying it when his little grin broke into a large, silly one. "Not that way!" she said laughing.  
  
"Damn."  
  
Hermione felt tired. I probably shouldn't have walked over here and talked so quickly, she thought. She made her way back to her own bed, and fell into a deep sleep.  
  
***  
  
2 hours later…  
  
"What's Malfoy doing here? He's not dead is he?"  
  
"Oh, poor dead Malfoy, the ooky little bugger. Do you think I'd be allowed to keep his watch?"  
  
"Ron!"  
  
"No you cannot have my watch, it is 17 carat gold, thankyou very much," came a quiet voice from the other side of the room.  
  
Harry and Ron grinned. "What are you doing here anyway, Malfoy?"  
  
Hermione was awoken by this conversation, and sat up quickly. "Leave him alone guys. He's here because he let Dumbledore drain all his strength to make a potion for me to get better."  
  
"Yeah, Weasel, I'm not dead."  
  
"Damn," Ron said grinning.  
  
Hermione had come to expect these exchanges. Over the weeks Draco had become slightly friendlier to Harry and Ron, and vice-versa, but some of the old hostility still remained. She looked at her old friends and grinned. They both looked tired, and had large heavy black bags with them, but they were a sight for sore eyes!  
  
"So you mean, if we hit him, he can't hit back?"  
  
"Harry! Don't you dare!"  
  
"Just checking." He tried to give her an innocent look, but the grin he was concealing gave him away. She happily patted the bed, motioning for Harry and Ron to sit down.   
  
"So, what's been happening?" she asked them.  
  
"Trip to Hogsmeade yesterday, remember? We got you lots of pressies." Harry and Ron grinned as they opened their black bags. Looking closer, she could see that they were stuffed to the brim with sweets and jokes from Zonkos's Joke Shop.  
  
They had a happy few hours together, eating sweets and plotting how to get some firecrackers into Snape's cauldron during potions without him noticing. They even let Hermione keep some for Draco for when he got better.  
  
Until Madam Pomfrey came in. Her face went red, and she spluttered at Ron and Harry, causing them to make a very hasty exit. "You two are here to rest," she said to Hermione and Draco, "not to have a party when you feel the slightest bit better!"  
  
Their answer to this was to simply fall asleep. Madam Pomfrey sighed, and walked out of the room, her heels clicking against the tiled floor.   
  
***  
  
The next few days were very boring. They both got better over time, and enjoyed each other's company, and Harry and Ron came to visit often.  
  
They were all better, full of strength, and the summer holidays were only a few days away, but Madam Pomfrey kept them in there for observation. However, two days before the holidays would start, she let them out.  
  
"It's so good to see the sun!" Hermione exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, it is ok, especially being stuck in that hospital roo-"  
  
Draco's speech was cut short by the arrival of a tawny brown owl. He dropped a letter into Draco's hands, turned, and left. He opened it, read it, and gave it to Hermione.  
  
"What?" she asked, reading.  
  
"It's from my father…"  
  
***  
  
So… what's in the letter? What will the summer holidays bring? And most important, WHEN are we going to see that sexy blond babe in leather pants? All in Chapter 3….  
  
I cant thank everybody who reviewed, as I'm writing this offline, but thankyou anyway!! Kisses & hugs.  
  
Also, please tell me in your reviews, how do you make font italic, bold, etc? I want to make Hermione's dreams italic, but it's not working. Grrrrrrr........  



	3. The Duel

DISCLAIMER: ok, I own absolutely nothing

**DISCLAIMER:** ok, I own absolutely nothing. Ya happy? *pouts* True, J.K. is an amazing writer, better than I ever could be, so… why am I even bothering? It's not like she actually listens to the ramblings of someone obsessed with her books….

And Draco could possibly show up in leather pants… *evil grin* you'll just have to wait and see…

******

"From your father?" Hermione's worried face looked down on Draco's.

"Yeah," he said quietly. He brushed the seal aside and opened it.

_Draco,_

_ _

I have been requested to show my presence at an important  conference over the summer. You will not be able to stay at home, as your mother and I will be in France, attending it.

_Please find a suitable home for the summer, I will be in touch._

_ _

__

_~ Father ~_

Draco looked at the heavy piece of parchment, shell-shocked. "What the hell? He just goes off and leaves me like that? Where am I supposed to go?" Draco's eyes began to burn with anger. "Bloody hell…" he muttered.

Hermione's hair glowed in the late afternoon sunshine. "Well," she said thoughtfully. "Harry and I have been invited to stay at the Burrow this year… do you think Ron would let you come along?"

"A whole summer with Potter? Oh _goody!!_"

"Draco…"

"Sorry, but I just don't know what to do."

She slipped her hand into his. "Come," she coaxed. "It'll be fun…"

***

"I cannot believe I am about to spend an entire summer willingly with you Potter. And Weasley." Draco looked at the ramshackle house before him, and shook his head.

"Oh Malfoy, stop it. It won't be that bad." Harry stood behind him, dragging a rather large piece of luggage, his glasses askew, a crooked grin on his face.

"Oh, Harry!! You've grown! And Hermione! You look so pretty dear! _Ron!_ You have a spot of dirt on your cheek." Mrs Weasley beamed, ran out of the house and began hugging each and everyone there. However, when she came to Draco, she stopped.

"Errr…"

"Draco," supplied Hermione.

"Draco! You've gotten so much… blonder! Come in, come in!" She hustled them into the kitchen, where they dropped their stuff, and sat down on the kitchen stools.

"So, mum, what are we doing this summer?" Ron asked.

"Well, you'll have free rein of the house, backyard and field, there's a Quidditch pitch somewhere back there, I believe. But for now, I am rather busy, so you'll have to entertain yourselves for a while." Mrs Weasley beamed down at them. Her frizzy hair, tightly curled around her face, looked like it hadn't been brushed for a while. Other than that, she looked happy. Tired, but happy.

Hermione stifled a yawn. "I think I'm going to go to bed for a while."

"But it's only four-thirty!" Draco exclaimed.

"Yes, I know, but I am so tired…"

"I'll take you up."

Draco helped Hermione up the stairs and laid her down on her bed. He sighed, hoping she was ok. He left, but not before he had given her a quick kiss on the forehead.

***

_"Oh, no, not again," Hermione said aloud._

_ _

_Beax appeared near the doorframe. "Hello _Hermi_," she sneered._

_ _

_Hermione closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up. _

_ _

_"Won't work dear." A dry voice cut into her thoughts._

_ _

_"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked finally._

_ _

_"All in good time…" Beax opened her hands, and began to swirl them. Appeared a blue, sizzling whirlpool, and Hemione felt herself get sucked in…_

_ _

_ _

_She looked around. She was clad in black robes, and was at the front of a procession, walking ahead of everyone else. She came to rest in front of a frightened Muggle, a young girl, who was whimpering. "Please, don't kill me… please…" _

_ _

_Hermione drew her wand, and panicked. Why was she doing that? She tried to scratch her head. Her hands didn't obey her._

_ _

_She drew her wand and started to scream, "Avada Ked… no."_

_ _

_All around her the Death Eaters gasped._

_ _

_Hermione grinned cruelly. "Too impersonal, my dear."_

_ _

_She beckoned, and a Death Eater brought her a small dagger, intricately carved with the word, _**Nefreth**_, on it. She brought it over her head, and in one quick swipe, the young girl was on the ground._

_ _

***

Hermione's scream woke the whole house up. In a moment, Harry, Ron, Draco and Mrs Weasley were at her bedside.

"What's wrong, dear?" Mrs Weasley tried to ask a sweating, shivering Hermione.

"Noth- nothing," she forced out. "Could I have a cup of tea, please?"

Mrs Weasley nodded, and went downstairs.

Draco went and held her hand. "Now, what really happened?" Hermione closed her eyes, lay back down on the bed, and began to relay the night's events to the three boys. 

A few minutes later, it was decided that all three of them were to sleep with Hermione in that room tonight, on sleeping bags on the floor. **(FeatherQuill's note – where else do you think they'd sleep, eh?)**

It was a long time before any of them fell asleep.

***

Hermione was the last to wake up the next morning. She struggled to get up, but then had a shower, got changed and padded downstairs to the kitchen.

However, the only one there, was Ron.

"Where are Draco and Harry?" she asked him.

"They're outside, having a proper wizard's duel. Got dressed up and everything for it." Ron stirred his hot chocolate, and took a long swallow. "Course that doesn't mean I'm gonna watch them turn each other into jelly beans."

"I will!" Hermione's eyes sparkled, and she walked to the window. The sight made her gasp.

Harry and Draco were facing each other coolly, their hair blowing in the wind. Harry was dressed in blue slacks, and a tight white shirt. But Draco… the sight of him made Hermione gasp. He was wearing tight black leather pants, almost dragon hide. **(FQ- There ya go!!)** He wore a silver shirt that billowed around his chest. He also wore a silver necklace with a twisted snake on it, and his blond hair… he looked, in Hermione's eyes, almost like a _god_. They faced each other. They raised their wands, and walked three steps back. 

And so the duel started…

(should I leave it there? Nah, I've left you guys with too many cliffhangers recently, I'll continue.)

_"Wingardium Leviosa!"_ Harry's wand, at Draco's shout, rose high into the air, and hurtled towards the ground. Only Harry's skills as a Seeker stopped the wand from becoming splinters.

_"Mengertenia!"_

_ _

_"Fasderhew!"_

_ _

_"Juklipoy!"_

_ _

_"Querbev Gerdenia!"_

_ _

_"Asdenfert!"_

_ _

_"Kerbendien!"_ At the shout of _Kerbendien_, Harry rose into the air, and fell to the ground. He was transfigured into a knife, a flower, a pig, and a number of different objects before _Kerbendien_ wore off. Harry didn't get up. 

Draco had won.

Hermione rushed outside, here eyes sparkling. "Oh, Draco, that was great!"

He hugged her close, and murmured, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but shouldn't we be helping Harry?"

"I'm ok, though it may be a few years before I can see again. The grass is actually quite comfortable," came a muffled voice from Harry's direction.

Hermione bit her lip to keep from laughing, and Draco's eyes were sparkling. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Hermione whispered to him.

They raised their wands. _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_

Harry rose into the air (for what seemed like the hundredth time that day), and righted himself.

"Thanks, guys. Just couldn't leave me there, could ya?"

"Oh, stop complaining Potter."

"Our relationship is never going to progress if all you can think to call me is Potter."  
  


"Oh, fine then, Potty, have it your way."

"That was _not_ what I meant."

Hermione just grinned and looked at her friends as they walked back to the house.

"Hey, guys!" Ron shouted to them from the kitchen window. "Guess who just showed up!"

***

So…. Who showed up? Will Harry kill Draco for calling him Potty all the time? Will we see more of Draco in leather? (I for one, believe the leather bit in this chapter was WAY too short.) All in chapter four…

I love for people to review my stories, but please do not flame me. If you can't say anything nice, then say nothing at all.

See ya till next time guys! 


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